Deleted Scenes
by czarina
Summary: A Series with mini sketches that extend scenes throughout the novels. Focusing on the developing relationship between Tris, Four, and Eric.
1. Target Practice

**Target Practice**

_I want to do extended sketches of scenes that I find interesting throughout the Divergent series. I will cite the location in the book whenever I can. Please review after reading. I find your feedback to be very motivating and helpful. _

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**_This sketch takes place in book one of the Divergent Series, at the end of chapter 13, right after the scene where Tris steps in for Al during Target practice. This event occurs before Visiting Day._**

* * *

Tris shuffles in behind Christina into the training room. The targets were still set up. Eric watched her enter. Ever since her outcry in targeting class she started to feel his scrutiny on her. Christina looked over and tilted her head in Eric's direction. Worse part was she couldn't even pretend that it was just her imagination because she wasn't the only one who noticed.

"Hey Tris, I think he's watching you again. You really peeved him off when you helped Al. Man, I think you really do have a death wish."

Fear chafes against Tris's skin as her peripheral vision catches Eric glancing her way as if hearing Christina's last comment. Was he walking over?

"Let's see you hit the target, Initiate"

Tris felt Eric's presence as an ice cold glacier barreling towards her. Her hands were sweaty, but she dared not wipe them on her pants with Eric watching so closely. She closed her eyes and tried to breathe normal. 'Just concentrate, Tris,' she told herself. They'd been undergoing target practice every other day for the past week. Her aim was much improved but there was still the occasional misses.

Trusting her gut she let the knife fly.

"Everyone stop!" Eric yelled.

Eric walked over to Tris's target and dislodged the knife from the center of the target's chest. She reads the expression on Eric's face as one of jubilation. Her elation for hitting the target turns to dread.

"I want you all to gather around. This initiate will could show you a thing or two. Do we have any volunteers?"

Her fingernails dig into her palms. Four was looking at her, his jaw tightening as if holding back words. He was not going to speak against Eric on this. She didn't expect him to. She wasn't able to control her impulsiveness even when Four warned her and now Eric's attention was her punishment.

The crowd of initiates looked at one another and then at Eric.

"Not a single volunteer in the bunch of you? What do you take that to mean, Tris? Does your fellow Initiates not believe that you possess the control and accuracy to leave them unharmed? I think it's about time you showed them what you can do. You've shown no fear when you were the target, but will you be dauntless when it is your hand that is throwing the knives?"

"Four, since none of the initiates are showing any sort of backbone, maybe you can help us out again with this demonstration."

Four looks indifferent as he stands in front of the target. But his eyes bore into Tris's as she stands before him, knives in hand.

"We don't have all day, Initiate," Eric says. His arms are crossed and there is almost a pleased smile on his face."

Eric's hint of a smile fades as her first throw goes wide, too far to the right. The knife lodges in the wall a foot and a half away from Four.

"Eric, are you sure the Stiff can even hit a target?" Four asks nonchalantly.

Her next throw cuts off Eric's reply and more than knicks Four's shoulder. He winces with the sudden impact of the knife as it cuts through skin and muscle.

The other initiates recoil back, as if her next throw was going to hit one of them.

"Oh god, I'm so sorry!" Tris cries out.

"Continue, Stiff, and let's hope that in battle you don't accidently shoot your team with friendly fire," Four grunts out.

Her last throw hits a foot away from his left ankle.

Once her last knife is thrown, Eric walks to Four and dislodges all the knives, including the one through Four's shoulder. Blood was now dripping down Four's arm.

Four walks away and grabs a gauze pad from one of the tables on the side of the room. He applies pressure to the shoulder as Eric continues over to Tris.

"Initiates, your fellow initiate still has more practicing to do, but you would be wise to set her bravery here as your example. How many of you can continue after injuring a fellow Dauntless?"

Tris grimaced, her eyes on Four as he dressed his wound.

She suddenly felt Eric's palm on the small of her back as he propels her back to the other initiates. A shiver runs down her spine. She does not glance at Eric as she joins the rest of the group. Eric's eyes follow her as she goes.

* * *

Four writes Molly's name next to Tris's. He's surprised when he sees Tris front and center by the ring. He'd always noticed her in the back standing and watching with Will, Al, and Christina. Today she stands up front alone.

Eric monitors the initiates progress from the back of the training room. The first fight is between Christina and Al. He knows the fat lug Al was going to choke and lose to Christina. He was only here to see Peter's progress and watch the fight between him and Edward. '_What was the Stiff doing so close to the ring', _he wonders as he catches sight of Tris.

As expected Al is a whimpering mess on the floor after just two blows to the face and ribs from Christina. Eric shakes his head. He wasn't going to waste his time with Al. He'd recognized the truth in the Stiff's words when she called him a bully. But in that same breadth she'd called Al weak. Bully's only terrorized the weak. There was no longer a point to do so when the rest of the initiates already recognized Al as not being one of their equals.

Four watches the initiate Al fall. The boy hadn't chosen the right faction. He was soft and Dauntless had no room for him. Only the strong could survive under the guidance of the new leaders of Dauntless. He remembered that a factionless man had once referred to the factions as being suffocating. If that was true then Al was drowning. It could be that he'd been in Dauntless for too long, because he felt no sympathy for Al laying on the ground. The boy could have easily defended against Christina, but he'd chosen the defensive. Everyone had a choice to make and he'd made his. He noticed that Tris did not turn from the scene either.

Peter and Edward circle around each other.

Eric was not impressed. Peter was slower and dumber than Edward and it was just so obvious. He'd thought the boy reminded him of himself but it was now clear that Peter would always be just a tool. Peter wasn't grasping the finer points of strategy. It wasn't that long before the second fight was over.

Before Four even had to call the next two combatants to the ring he saw Tris jump in.

Her eyes were bright like two sapphires as she watched Molly as a tiger would its prey. Even the initiates felt the change in energy thrown off by Tris as she circled Molly. The crowd was hushed. Eric and Four watched, both giving Tris Prior his complete attention. Tris was moving differently. She was cautious then less cautious and offensive and suddenly she had Molly on the ground and she was kicking her and kicking her.

Four jumped in before he even registered what he was doing. He was pulling her away from the bleeding Molly. Tris's eyes were glassy, as she glared down at her enemy. "You won, I think you should leave."

She says that she's fine but he just saw a side of her that he'd never seen. She could be ruthless.

As the initiates file out of the room, some saw that Eric was standing unmoving in the back of the room.

He'd seen her. He'd really looked at her for what felt like the first time. She was amazing, eyes glowing, pony tail whipping through the air with each attack. A cunning girl, methodically countering each strike against her. She wasn't afraid of the bigger girl. Eric felt his heart rate speed up as he watched her. Four stepped in after the Stiff had Molly bleeding on the mat. He could've liked Four but whenever Four gets a chance to go against him, Four takes it. But he noticed that Four just left the initiate Molly laying on the floor as he escorted Tris to the door. Four had never left another initiate just bleeding by themselves on the floor.

Eric's fingers leave marks on his arm as he watches Four take Tris's arm and guides her through the door.


	2. The Chasm

**The Chasm**

_I want to do extended sketches of scenes that I find interesting throughout the Divergent series. I will cite the location in the book whenever I can. Please review after reading. I find your feedback to be very motivating and helpful. _

* * *

_**This sketch takes place in book one of the Divergent Series, near the end of chapter 19, when Tris sees Four drinking with his buddies near the Chasm. This event occurs before Four figures out that Tris is Divergent.**_

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_"You look good, Tris__**"**_

Tris couldn't help but smile. Four winked and walked away. She walked back to her friends. She felt his eyes on her but when she glanced back at him, Four was back by the Chasm joking around with the other Dauntless members. He was turned away from her.

Her friends had questions but she just shrugged them off and the subject was easily dropped. This was free time and they were out to have a good time, not dissect the odd behavior of their instructor. After visiting the tattoo parlor again and grabbing some more to eat, it was finally time to head to bed. She was tired.

Tossing and turning in sleep, Tris watched as Four slipped at the Chasm, bottle in hand.

"FOUR!"

Tris woke with a start. She hadn't been able to reach him. There was no way she was going to be able to fall back asleep. Tris grabbed a jacket and didn't bother to zip it up as she slipped from the room. She knew where her feet would take her and it wasn't long before she was standing at the Chasm.

Four was sitting on a ledge that she'd never realized was even there. It was set into the face of the rock wall. There were two empty bottles of beer next to him. He was holding the third to his lips as he watched her approach.

"Remember what I said about making bad choices, Tris?"

"Yes"

"You're making one right now."

Tris rubbed her suddenly sweaty palms against the bottom of her night shirt. His eyes dropped from her face to run over the rest of her body. She was suddenly very aware of her bare legs. "I just came to get some air. I had a bad dream."

"Is that what you were doing?" His eyes met hers. His face remained impassive. Tris felt her face flush. What he must think of her standing there in her night dress. He rose and Tris felt a lump rise in her throat. One misplaced step and he'd fall. He watched her the whole time, walking along, relying on muscle memory alone.

She was suddenly inexplicably angry. The minute his feet touched the main floor of the pit she pushed him against the wall. Her mother would not approve of this, striking out at another.

"You have a death wish or something? Even an initiate like me knows to not to drink alcohol near the chasm."

"What makes you think that you can speak to me like this, Stiff? I'm your instructor, your trainer, you're an initiate. We're not friends. Back up."

"Really? I make bad choices?" Tris says sarcastically.

"One slip, and that would be it. You wouldn't be my instructor or my trainer then." She wanted to back up. Her legs were shaking. She couldn't believe what she was doing. She'd backed Four into a wall, with both arms outstretched pushing him against it. She'd been so fearful of him falling. But she reminded herself that she was Dauntless now and turned her fear into anger. It wasn't like she could just make small talk with him and ask _what was wrong_, _why was he drinking by himself_. Four would never answer.

Four offered Tris the bottle he was still working on. When Tris grabbed for it he used one hand and grabbed the wrist of the hand still pinning him to the wall and twisted her around until he was applying pressure on her arm now twisted in his hands behind her back. His other arm was hooked around her shoulders locking her in place with her back against him. The alcohol in his breadth saturating the air around her, she was reminded once again of the factionless man. But the pain in her wrist recalled her to reality.

With his lips on her ear he whispered, "Stiff, You're lucky I'm not in the mood to teach you a lesson tonight." He stepped closer closing whatever small gap was between them. Tris felt all the breadth in her lungs leave her body. Her twisted hand was now lodged against her back and against his chest. Why was her heartbeat racing? Was she scared of Four?

"Better go to bed, Tris, unless you want to continue this match elsewhere. You may find the outcome unexpected." She felt the clamp on her wrist loosen and the feathery brush of fingertips up the side of her arm. She couldn't breathe. When she could again, he was gone.


	3. The Second Stage Rankings

**Stage Two Rankings**

_I want to do extended sketches of scenes that I find interesting throughout the Divergent series. I will cite the location in the book whenever I can. Please review after reading. I find your feedback to be very motivating and helpful._

* * *

_**This sketch takes place in book one of the Divergent Series, near the end of chapter 21, when Eric presents the initiates with their second stage rankings.**_

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Eric couldn't help but watch her. She stands alone from the pack as they align themselves against her. 'How could someone, Tris, a Stiff from Abnegation get the number one spot on rankings?' they are wondering. He'd wondered that many times himself. How could Four be ranked ahead of him? 'But it worked out well in the end. It will again,' Eric thought to himself.

Movement across the room draws his attention. Eric sees Peter glowering at the Tris. Some unexplained apprehension blooms within him.

"I will not be outranked by a Stiff," Peter hisses.

Eric watches as Peter slams Tris against the wall. In his mind he sees himself slamming Four with a fist when he found out Four placed First. It does not calm him. For once he is not excited by the unexpected violence.

Before Eric can step in he sees Will grab Peter, dragging him away from Tris. He hears the exchange between Will and Peter and watches as Peter storms away.

He glances around the room watching the expressions of those who witnessed the exchange as he exits the room. He had an appointment to attend with Max, otherwise he wondered whether he would stay and watch. The initiate fascinated him. Sometimes he wanted to destroy her, but most of the time, recently, he found himself just watching her.

She enticed him. An initiate never challenges him, and survives the initiation process. But he had called her on her bluffs and she had risen to the occasions, never crying, or begging. But at the end of the day she was a Stiff and he was an Erudite.

He grits his teeth as he sees Four walking in.


	4. Thrown Over

So he'd finally decided to tell her. In that split instant when she'd just about figured it out he told her. How could he not watch her. She was so strong and so determined. Was he insane to take her into his fear landscape? Maybe. But he'd been alone for so long and she was just like him. Just like him besides the crazy father bit. He'd been mad when he'd seen his father go after Tris. The strength of the sudden anger overshadowed all fear. It'd been the first time where he hadn't had to grit his teeth and tell himself that is was only a simulation. It didn't matter whether or not it was a simulation because he wasn't going to let him touch a hair on her head. He wasn't going to let anyone, not ever. The power of his emotions for her didn't scare him. He'd known, when she'd looked him in the eye and said no one pushed her to take that first leap. He'd known when she didn't flinch at all as he threw knife after knife at her. And he'd finally allowed himself to see the depths of his emotions when he saw the three attackers trying to throw her into the chasm. He'd lost all sense then and he'd almost killed that boy Drew. He was still waiting to exact his revenge on Peter.

She wasn't expecting his confession. He saw and felt her surprise and he'd taken full advantage of it. He moved his mouth over hers and her small frame was in his arms. She smelled like the dauntless soap with a hint of laundry detergent, the type used in Abnegation.

* * *

He slammed the glass serum against the desk, the glass shards piercing his palm. Peter was in his room explaining what happened last night. What happened that put Drew in the hospital. The sniveling weak initiate came in to report abuse at the hands of Four. Of all people Four, abuse him and his little friends. It was the most unbelievable crap he'd ever heard. But the proof was right in front of him. He'd gone to the control room and watched the feed. Oh but Peter had left out an important detail about that night. He didn't say that he and his friends had taken the Stiff and were going to toss her into the Chasm. That changed things. Three against one was not honorable odds, not that he cared, but he did care about being mislead and lied to. Peter had implied that Four had attacked him and his friend Drew without reason.

He had Zeke rewind the scene over again. Tris was dangling over the chasm, her screams came through the speakers. Eric gripped the glass pieces harder. The pain helped him keep the natural stern look of his expression. The little jerk had taken Tris in a dark corner and he hadn't even been brave enough to do it alone.

"Enough!"

Zeke stopped the video playback as Eric stormed out the door. Eric didn't need to watch the rest. He knew that once Four entered the scene that Four would destroy the other initiates. They would be no match against him even at three against one. But it angered him that for some inexplicable reason he was angry at Four for being there and glad at the same time that someone was there to save her. She'd been so weak, needing saving the first place! He would've done the same thing had it been him and not Four that witnessed that scene, but he doubted he would've acted in that way if the initiate they were holding over the chasm was Molly, Christina, or any of the other recruits this year. It amazing that he could be so infatuated with an Abnegation girl. He'd been an Erudite and now he was a Erudite dauntless. In all his years at the Dauntlass compound, he'd never been interested in any of the females. He embraced his Erudite side and none of the girls were smart enough or dauntless enough to tempt him. Yet this initiate who was neither smart nor dauntless and she was the one whom he couldn't get out of his mind. It wasn't going to matter soon anyways because she was going to be injected with the serum and whatever feelings he'd had for her would evaporate like her free will.


End file.
